Improvement in modes of preventing loss of heat in charging gas-retorts



.v J. SLADE. Mode of Preventing Loss of Heat in Charging Gas- Retorts.

No.- 206,144 Patented July 16, I878.

M522 ems ers E20 612 Z012 UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JAMES SLADE, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MODES 0F PREVENTING LOSS OF HEAT IN CHARGING GAS-RETORTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,144, dated July 16, 1878; application i-ilcd July 3, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES SLADE, of Youkers, Westchester county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Illuminating-Gas from Goal, of which the following is a specification By the usual method of manufacturing illuminating or coal gas, the retorts are set three, five, or more in one bench, all heated by one fire, and are usually charged all, or nearly all, at one time, thus reducing the temperature to such a degree at the most important time, when the coal is throwing off gas the fastest, that the gas is not permanent, but most of it is condensed to tar and water in the hydraulic main or condensers, owing to its being generated at too low a tempcrature.

Now, my object is to prevent loss of heat at this time in using the ordinary bench or benches of retorts, and this I efl'ect by charging only one or two retorts at a time, (preferably the former,) selecting for the purpose such retort or retorts as are at a distance as far as possible from those last olnrged, so that the retorts that have had time to regain their heat will act as heat-reservoirs, and impart or give off their surplus heat to the new charge, thus preventing in the newly-charged retort or retorts that excessive lowering of temperature to which, under the method of charging hitherto employed, they have been subjected at the time they are doing the most work.

I also charge the coal well back in the retorts, so that, say, the first foot from the mouth-piece may be left free from coal, and act as a catch-all for the tar or tarry vapor before it can reach the stand-pipe, in which way I am enabled to redistill from the same what light oils or naphtha may have escaped from the body of the retort.

1n carrying outmy invention, suppose there are three benches of five retorts each in use, as indicated in the accompanying diagram. I charge those marked 7 at that hour, and so on to 8, 9, 10, and 11; then the 7 oclock one again at 2 oclock, 8 at 3, 9 at 4, and so on with any number of benches, whether one or one hundred. Taking the 11 oclock charge,

it will be seen that it will be supported by those that were charged at 8 and 9; the 10 oclock charge by those that were charged at 7 and 8; the 9 oclock charge by the one charged at 7 and the one to be charged at 11, the latter having been charged previously at 6; the 8 oclock charge by those marked 10 and 11, they having been previously charged at 5 and 6 oclock, respectively, and the 7 oclock by those marked 9 and 11, they having been charged at 4 and5 oclock, respectively. Thus the temper ature cannot possibly fall, as it does when the retorts are charged by the usual method. In this way instead of producing at times vapors that will condense, I obtain a product which is a rich and permanent illuminating-gas. I also avoid much contraction and expansion of the retorts, and so render them serviceable for a longer time.

By the ordinary method of charging, one ton of coal will produce on an average ten thousand cubic feet of gas of from fourteen to fifteen candle power when made without cannel coal or other enriching material.

By my invention, under the same conditions, the yield of one ton of coal is on an av erage twelve thousand three hundred cubic feet of gas of from sixteen to seventeen candle power; and this I accomplish without requiring any change or alteration or reorganization of existing apparatus 110w in use for making coalgas.

Having described my improvements, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In the manufacture of illuminatinggas, using the ordinary bench of retorts, the mode of preventing loss of heat at the time when the coal is throwing off gas the fastest, which consists in charging the retorts in each bench successively at stated intervals, the retort undergoing the operation of charging being the one farthest removed from the retort or retorts last charged.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this lst day of July, 1878.

JAMES SLADE.

Witnesses: V

ANTONIO G. GONZALEZ, M. V. BAYLIs. 

